novelAbuy Chapter 8 Old Zhu's Fury
Chapter 8 Old Zhu's Fury
Jinshen Hall.
Zhu Yuanzhang continued to bury himself in his desk, revising the memorials in his hands.
At this moment, the eunuch of the Eastern Palace, holding a memorial in his hands, respectfully placed the memorial, which had been revised by Zhu Biao, next to the old Zhu's desk under the guidance of the eunuch of the Jinshen Hall.
Old Zhu glanced at the memorial that had been delivered and looked at it for a while before continuing to bury the first batch of memorials to be revised.
Halfway through the review, Old Zhu finally couldn't contain his doubts and summoned a eunuch from the palace, instructing him:
"Go and see what the Crown Prince is doing?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
After the eunuch left, Zhu Yuanzhang casually took out the memorial sent by the Crown Prince's Palace, carefully read it, and found nothing wrong with it. He then picked up another memorial, which was also without any problems.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled, put down the memorial, and continued reviewing it.
A short while later, the eunuch returned.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has returned to Chunhe Palace and is currently examining the Imperial Grandson's studies!"
"Huh?" Old Zhu stopped writing, taken aback. "You mean the Crown Prince has already returned to Chunhe Palace?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the eunuch replied, bowing his head.
Hearing the eunuch say this, Zhu Biao's doubts deepened. According to the usual practice, Zhu Biao's memorials would be sent after 7 PM, or sometimes even closer to 9 PM.
Then Zhu Biao returned to Chunhe Palace from Wenhua Hall to rest. Why did the memorial arrive just after Shenshi today, and why did Zhu Biao also return to Chunhe Palace?
Old Zhu just checked the quality of the memorials and his revisions, and there was no difference from usual.
"Go and fetch Mao Xiang for us!" Old Zhu ordered, his brows furrowed.
About fifteen minutes later, Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, stood inside the Jinshen Hall.
"Has anything happened at Wenhua Hall today?" Old Zhu asked without even looking up.
"Your Majesty, there's nothing else, but..." Mao Xiang paused, "but today the Crown Prince summoned the Duke of Cao and several Hanlin scholars."
"Second daughter? Hanlin scholar?" Old Zhu raised his head, his eyebrows slightly raised.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Old Zhu glanced at Mao Xiang and asked, "What are they discussing?"
Mao Xiang lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, it was the Crown Prince, the Duke of Cao, and several Hanlin scholars who discussed and reviewed the memorials together!"
"Discuss the memorial together?" Old Zhu's face slowly darkened, and then he picked up the memorial that Zhu Biao had revised and began to read it.
One, two, three.
Still nothing was found.
Old Zhu's voice turned cold: "Go, investigate what exactly happened at the Wenhua Hall today!"
"Your Majesty, I will investigate immediately!"
Watching Mao Xiang's retreating figure, Old Zhu narrowed his eyes, a hint of dissatisfaction appearing on his face.
Mao Xiang went out for a quarter of an hour, then returned.
"Your Majesty, I have ascertained that after the Crown Prince summoned the Duke of Cao and the Hanlin Academy members today, he sent the memorial to the Hanlin Academy, who then drafted a proposal based on its contents. The Crown Prince reviewed it and issued his reply!"
Mao Xiang reported the findings of his investigation to Zhu Yuanzhang in detail.
"Memorials?" A hint of displeasure flashed in Old Zhu's eyes as he stared at Mao Xiang, his tone growing colder. "You mean, the Crown Prince has these Hanlin scholars reviewing memorials?"
Mao Xiang felt a chill run through him, but forced himself to remain calm and said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince did not have the Hanlin Academy members review the proposals. Instead, he had them offer suggestions for handling the matter, and only when the Crown Prince deemed them appropriate did he issue his approval!"
"So, many of the suggestions in the memorial were put forward by the Hanlin Academy?" Old Zhu said coldly.
Mao Xiang wiped his forehead with his sleeve: "Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Damn it!" Old Zhu cursed, slamming the memorial in his hand onto the table and ordering a eunuch beside him, "Go, fetch the Crown Prince!"
The eunuch had only taken two steps when Zhu Yuanzhang shouted sternly, "Come back!"
He then looked at Mao Xiang: "Do you know who suggested this to the Crown Prince?"
Mao Xiang replied, "Your Majesty, it is the Duke of Cao!"
"Second daughter?" Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback, a flash of anger crossing his eyes. "Bring Second Daughter here!"
After leaving the Wenhua Hall, Li Jinglong ignored Huang Zicheng, who was bowing respectfully, and quickly passed by the other Hanlin scholars.
Li Jinglong felt that Huang Zicheng was just messing with his own mentality!
I'm such a low-key person, and you actually say I'm incredibly talented?
You're trying to put a bad word on me right in front of Zhu Biao, aren't you!
Li Jinglong made up his mind that he had to ask Zhu Biao for permission to leave the capital as soon as possible, otherwise he really couldn't hold out any longer!
Even when passing by Donghua Gate, Li Jinglong had no interest in chatting and bragging in the prison cells of the second-generation nobles. He got into his carriage and went straight back to the Duke of Cao's mansion.
Who would have thought that before he could even sit down at home, he was summoned to the Jinshen Hall by Old Zhu.
Old Zhu's face was ashen, his tone icy: "Let me ask you, did you come up with the idea of having Hanlin scholars review memorials yourself, or was someone suggesting it to you?"
Li Jinglong glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang out of the corner of his eye and secretly thought something was wrong: "Your Majesty, the suggestion to have the Hanlin scholars put forward governance suggestions was based on Your Majesty's system of academicians in the Imperial Academy."
"Heh!" Old Zhu sneered. "What a silver tongue you have! We're asking you, do you know your crime?"
Li Jinglong felt a chill run down his spine. He looked up and met Old Zhu's cold gaze, instantly feeling surrounded by invisible pressure.
Although Li Jinglong was inwardly panicked, he remained calm and replied, "Your Majesty, I do not know what crime I have committed!"
"Good! Good!" Old Zhu said with a forced smile. "Guards, throw this man into jail and hand him over to the three judicial departments for joint trial!"
Two Imperial Guards walked quickly behind Li Jinglong.
Li Jinglong was stunned. "Old Zhu, how could you turn your back on me so easily?"
The cabinet system evolved from your system of scholars in the imperial academy. I've just taken a step forward. Is it really necessary?
Li Jinglong feigned anxiety and confusion: "Your Majesty, please calm down and enlighten me. I truly do not know!"
Old Zhu snorted coldly, his words like knives: "You bewitched the Crown Prince, attempting to reinstate the Prime Minister. Tell me, what is your crime?"
Li Jinglong was stunned! When did I intend to reinstate the prime minister? Are the cabinet and the prime minister the same thing?
However, when Li Jinglong thought about Lao Zhu's lust for power and control, he felt relieved!
"Your Majesty, my suggestion has neither the intention nor the intention of reinstating the prime minister. Everything I have done is for the sake of His Highness the Crown Prince!" Li Jinglong explained.
Seeing that Old Zhu remained unmoved, Li Jinglong raised his voice an octave higher, his tone earnest: "Uncle! You work tirelessly day and night, full of energy, but my cousin is different from you!"
After speaking, Li Jinglong's expression turned somber: "Since I lifted the mourning period, it has only been a few days, yet I am deeply grateful for the Emperor's boundless grace! But every time I visit the Eastern Palace, His Highness always appears exhausted and weary. I truly feel sorry for His Highness!"
"So you dare to do this overstepping your bounds?" Old Zhu remained expressionless.
"Your Majesty, the energy and wisdom of different people are not comparable. Some die young while others live to a ripe old age. I was young when I was still young and felt that my energy was not as good as Your Majesty's. Your Majesty must not judge Your Highness's hard work by your own strength!"
Li Jinglong understood clearly that the only way forward was to play the family card with Zhu Biao, and he had to win Zhu Biao over!
"Nonsense!" Zhu Yuanzhang shouted angrily, but his momentum was no longer what it had been before.